


Traitor

by LindoRussa



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Brothers, Family, That's one dysfunctional family, kingship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-01
Updated: 2020-04-01
Packaged: 2021-02-28 18:35:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23431792
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LindoRussa/pseuds/LindoRussa
Summary: Maitimo has taken a decision that he knows his brothers won't really like.One of them, especially isn't pleased with the news.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 17





	Traitor

The tent was silent. Only for some time, he knew it, but it was silent.  
He closed his eyes a few seconds.  
Calm had been rare lately in Maitimo’s life.  
A head krept through the door.  
“Hey, you asked us to come ?”  
Macalaurë.  
“Yes, please, come in.”  
His brothers started to enter, one by one. Curufinwë had visibly been draw out of his sleep, and wasn’t really content to be here.  
“I hope it is important brother.” he said “unlike you, I need sleep sometimes in my life.”  
“It is. Have a seat.”  
They all sat around the table in the middle of the tent.  
Living in tents was not the most comfortable, but he had grown used to it. At least, it wasn’t worse than the crossing of the sea, since the ground wasn’t moving.  
And it was better than…  
Anyway.  
“Things are about to change, and I thought you would like to know before I announce it to everybody.”  
‘And I also wanted to deal with your reactions in private rather than in front of everyone.’ he thought.  
He knew already what they were going to say, but he had made up his mind, and it was not going to change.  
“Alright then, go on. Unless you want us to play a guessing game...” said Tyelkormo with a smirk, his legs crossed on the table. Usually, Maitimo would have said something, but right now he just wasn’t in the mood.  
“No, please, don’t, I just want to go to sleep right now...” Atarinkë answered.  
Sights and sounds of protest grew louder around the table.  
“Could you two PLEASE let him talk ?”asked Carnistir, already sick of his brothers’ child-like attitude.  
“I just said …”  
“I am going to abdicate.”  
The sentence cut straight off the start of quarrel, and the tent was again plunged in silence.  
“You...What ?” Telufinwë spoke first.  
Maitimo’s face was stern as he looked at his brothers.  
“You...You’re kidding, right ?” asked Tyelkormo.  
“Do I look like I’m kidding?”  
They were all obviously shocked. He hadn’t told them anything until then, and it was indeed a surprise. And not a welcomed one.  
“Wait” Curufinwë said “does it mean that he…”He pointed at Macalaurë, who still hadn’t say anything.  
His little brother was the one indicated to inherit of the title if he gave it up. When he realised it, the singer obviously wasn’t pleased with the idea.  
But before he could say anything, Maitimo continued.  
It was the worst part.  
He knew that, how unhappy they were with the news, they wouldn’t like what was coming.  
Whatever.  
“No. I already chose in whose favour I will abdicate.”  
Silence.  
The calm before the storm.  
“Nolofinwë will be the next High King of our people.” 

No, they weren’t happy.  
“Excuse me?”  
Tyelkormo.  
“Nolofinwë ? You couldn’t find anyone else ?”  
‘Who else ? You maybe ?’  
Yes, obviously, that’s what he meant.  
“Nolofinwë is our uncle, and he can claim this title as rightfully as any of you.”  
“Then why not one of us ?”  
He didn’t answer straight away and silence filled the tent once again. Did he truly have to explain to him that…  
“Traitor.”  
Maitimo looked at Curufinwë.  
He didn’t ask him to repeat himself.  
“So this is how easily you give up our father’s legacy ? It only took you a few months, and you already forfeit your family’s honour ? I thought you would have at least had the decency to preserve it a while longer.”  
He stopped and let out one breath with a sarcastic grin.  
“I wonder what Findekano said to convince you...”  
‘What ?’ Maitimo sat up slightly on his chair.  
“He didn’t say anything, because it is my decision, and mine alone. Do you truly believe that I can be so easily manipulated ?”  
“Well, I do prefer to believe that, rather than realising that my brother purposefully, and by his own will, betrayed our father’s desires, and failed his own promises !”  
“What promises are you talking about ?” at this point, Maitimo was almost shouting. His blood was like boiling in his veins. “I swore one and only thing : to retrieve the Silmarils from whoever possesses them, and for now, it is against Morgoth that this Oath is turned. And unless you suddenly feel yourself bolder and stronger than you are, I cannot defeat a Vala by our own strengths.”  
“And you truly think that Nolofinwë will let us have the Silmarils when Morgoth will be defeated ? You truly think he will listen to any of us ?”  
“To you, I definitely think he won’t, if you keep acting this way.”  
Curufinwë didn’t answer, but rage burned in his eyes.  
Silence, again.  
Maitimo took a deep breath to calm himself down.  
He might have gone too far.  
The others stayed completely silent. He tried to relax. Anger never helps to deal with this kind of problem.  
He looked at the rest of his brothers. They weren’t pleased with the fact that their uncle became king and that the title left their house, but at least it seemed like they accepted it and understood his reasons.  
It made the task easier.  
“So...What is going to happen next ?”  
Macalaurë’s question brought him back to reality.  
Next.  
“I will announce my decision to the people tomorrow. Then, we will leave Hithlum and head towards the east end of Beleriand.”  
Curufinwë let out a forced laugh.  
“So not only are you going to let down the title of king, but you also remove us from the decisions that will be taken here ?! Do you realise that we won’t have any influence left on the rest of Beleriand ? We will be put aside, forgotten by everyone, and when the time will come to claim our rightful property, no one shall listen to us ! You are causing the ruin of your family, Maedhros !” he slammed his fist on the table, his jaw clenched and a fire burning in his eyes.  
The first born looked at his little brother, and for a few seconds he thought he was seeing his father again.  
In other times, Maitimo would have explained him. He would have talked about the weakness of the east end, of how important it was for someone to hold the area and how they couldn’t be put aside if they settled there.  
In other time, he would have explained his strategy to his brothers.  
But right now, he didn’t have the strength, nor the will.  
He wasn’t ready to talk to his brother like he would have before the flight, or even before…  
Before what happened.  
He thought he was prepared to face his brothers’ wrath, but he wasn’t.  
He wasn’t prepared to hear Atarinkë call him a traitor ; he wasn’t prepared to hear him call him ‘Maedhros’, the name that everyone -even himself- associated with another one.  
Kinslayer.  
If he wasn’t pleased, then so be it. He would learn to accept the situation.  
“Listen to me carefully, Curufinwë, for I shall not repeat it again. High King or not, I am still the oldest, and the ruler of this house. Like it or not, I give the orders and you do as I say. Therefore, you would do better to accept it and try to get used to it.”  
He stopped for one second. No one dared to say anything. The atmosphere was thick, a palpable tension between the two brothers.  
“Now...” Maitimo stood up, looking down at his brothers “we are going to leave in a few days, so I would advise you to start preparing your things shortly.”  
He grabbed his mantle on the chair and started to leave the tent.  
He needed fresh air.  
“The only true ruler of this house is our father.”  
Nelyafinwë didn’t even turn to face his brother.  
“Fëanoro is dead. He can’t rule it from where he is“


End file.
